Back in the year 2000, when everyone was listening to Britney and Eminem on their Discman and arguing whether Friends or Sex and the City ruled TV, Hard Rock Cafe Manchester opened its doors for the first time - with Duran Duran playing the opening party.

Fast forward 25 years and the restaurant is gearing up to celebrate a milestone birthday as it issues a call out to fans across the city - visit on Friday 12th September and enjoy a second burger for just 25p when you buy any burger on the menu*. 

The 25th birthday celebrations kick off the night before with a red carpet VIP anniversary event on Thursday 11th September, bringing together long-time supporters, local creators, media, and special guests for an evening of live music, classic cocktails, and a look back at the venue’s first quarter century. 

Here are just a few highlights of the story so far: 

2002: Since 2002 the Sir Rod Stewart Fan Club have held their pre and after show parties at the Manchester restaurant. Every tour that Sir Rod has made, the fans have been there to create a buzzing atmosphere and take over the cafe for the day. 

2008: This year welcomed the Manchester United squad to launch Ryan Giggs’ film, “True Red”. The full squad attended, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. The team also brought along the European Cup and Premier League trophies. 

2010: September of this year saw the launch of Blue Moon Rising, a film dedicated to the re-emergence of Manchester City FC. All of the club’s players and managers attended the event which was also attended by Noel Gallagher, a huge City fan.

2011: Two members of staff cycled from the Manchester branch to the original Hard Rock Cafe in London to raise money for Hard Rock’s breast cancer charity fundraiser, Pinktober. It took two full days to reach their destination, and together they raised over £3,000. 

Managers, bartenders, chefs, servers and hosts all also competed In the Great Manchester Run for the local Booth Centre charity. The team went on to run the race every year for the next five years. 

2014: This year saw a vibrant takeover of Cathedral Gardens with the Hard Rock Rising Stage, showcasing the best of live music. With a pop-up Rock Shop installed at the event, it attracted over 1,500 people and featured bands that were discovered at the restaurant’s Battle of the Bands events. 

With community at the heart of the Hard Rock Cafe ethos, Manchester hosted coffee mornings for its local community. The team also visited a local retirement home to help with the general upkeep of the gardens as well as building paths and restoring areas of the countryside. 

2019: The restaurant took part as a venue for the Manchester Soul Festival to raise money for the life-changing and life-saving work at The Christie, Manchester’s leading Cancer Trust. Over the course of five years that the festival was running, they successfully raised over £100,000 for the hospital. 

In December, international charity Nordoff Robbins organised a Christmas quiz which was held at the restaurant and hosted by BBC DJ Chris Hawkins. Among the invited attendees were soap stars Faye Brooks, Natalie Anderson and BBC breakfast presenter Nada Munchetty. 

2020: Hard Rock Cafe Manchester celebrated its 20th anniversary and created the ultimate playlist to mark the occasion. Working together with Mancs, they built a list that best represents Manchester’s insanely rich music heritage. The 20-track virtual album, aptly titled ‘Manc You For The Music’, was chosen by a panel of industry experts made up of musicians, music journalists and promoters. 

2025: The big Oasis reunion swept into Manchester bringing a buzzing vibe to the city. The cafe was home to an exclusive selection of memorabilia from Liam and Noel that was on display for guests. On the day of each gig the cafe held pre-show parties with DJ Rob Fiddaman playing Oasis and Britpop classics and raffled off a one of a kind “Definitely Maybe” artwork by Brian Canon to benefit Billy and Andy's Music School, a local charity that gives musical Instruments and lessons to disabled children. 

Aneta Jarzmik, General Manager at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester said: “Opening in 2000 was just the beginning. Whether it be a charity fundraising event or a celebration of music and great food, Hard Rock Cafe Manchester has been here through it all, always serving up burgers, beats, and a place for Manchester to ‘rock out’.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate 25 years with the city that made us feel at home, so here’s to many more years of proud moments and memorable celebrations in one the UK’s most vibrant cities.” 

Walks in are welcome but bookings are advised and can be made by visiting the website.